Significant Neurological Recovery After Severe Cervical Spine Injury in Elite Wrestling Athlete: A Case Report
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21831/jomassh.v2i1.2835Keywords:
Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion, Cervical spinal cord injury, Sports-related spinal trauma, Traumatic cervical disc herniation, Wrestling injuryAbstract
Background: Traumatic cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) can result in severe motor, sensory, and autonomic deficits with significant long-term disability. Contact sports such as wrestling carry a heightened risk of cervical injuries due to high-impact maneuvers and extreme motion. Although cervical fractures and dislocations are common causes of SCI, traumatic cervical disc herniation without bony involvement can also lead to significant spinal cord compression. Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) is widely used to achieve spinal cord decompression and stabilization in cervical spine trauma. However, reports on its use in traumatic multilevel cervical disc herniation remain limited. Case Presentation: A 30-year-old male developed sudden tetraplegia after sustaining high impact cervical injury during a wrestling maneuver. Examination demonstrated complete motor paralysis of all extremities with sensory deficits below the C4 dermatome, consistent with Frankel grade B SCI. MRI shows multilevel cervical disc herniation at the C3–C4 and C5–C6 levels, causing significant spinal cord compression without associated vertebral fracture or dislocation. Approximately 60 hours after the incident, patient underwent urgent ACDF at both levels. Postoperatively, neurological function improved with recovery of motor strength, normalization of respiratory pattern, and gradual improvement of sensory deficits. Six months following surgery, patient regained functional independence and was able to ambulate and perform daily activities without assistance. Conclusion: This case highlights a successful multilevel ACDF, demonstrated by effective spinal cord decompression and stabilization in traumatic cervical SCI caused by multilevel disc herniation, leading to significant neurological recovery and favorable functional outcomes in a young athlete.
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